News - March 23, 2004

THE UPDATED LIST OF DESTROYED AND DAMAGED
CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX SHRINES IN KOSOVO
AFTER KRISTALLNACHT OF 17-18 MARCH 2004

A CONVERSATION OF THE HOLY SYNOD
WITH THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION DISASTER MINISTRY

A CONVERSATION OF THE HOLY SYNOD
WITH RODERICK MOORE USA CHARGES D AFFAIRS IN BELGRADE

THE UPDATED LIST OF DESTROYED AND DAMAGED
CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX SHRINES IN KOSOVO
AFTER KRISTALLNACHT OF 17-18 MARCH 2004

*the list is still not yet finally completed because additional confirmations are expected

Beside these shrines 112 churches and monasteries have been either completely destroeyed or damaged by Kosovo Albanian extremists since deployment of the so called peacekeeping forces and the UN "peace mission"

Prizren
1. Holy Virgin of Lyevish (14 th century)
2. Church of Christ the Savior (14 th century)
3. Cathedral of St. George (1856)
4. Church of St. Nicholas (Tutic's church, 14 century)
5. Church of St. Nicholas (Runovic's church, 16 century)
6. Church of St. Kyriake (14 century, reconstructed later)
7. Church of St. Panteleimon (14 century, reconstructed later)
8. Church of St. Cosmas and Damian (14 century, reconstructed)
9. Church of St. Kyriake, Zivinjane, near Prizren
10. Holy Archangels Monastery (14. century)
*Serbian Orthodox Seminary of Sts. Cyrillus of Methodius
*Bishop's residence in Prizren

Orahovac
11. Church of St. Kyriake, (1852), Brnjaca, Orahovac 1852

Djakovica
12. Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (16-19th century), with the parish home.
Cathedral church of the Holy Trinity (two bell-towers which survived the 1999 mining were razed to the ground. Kosovo Albanians remove all material from the site)
13. Church of St. Lazarus, Piskote, near Djakovica

Srbica
14. Devic Monastery (15. century) burned to the ground with the tomb of St. Ioanichius of Devic opened and desecrated. Fire was burned in the tomb of the saint.

Pec
15. Church of St. John the Baptist (Metropolia, with the parish home)
16. Church of Virgin Mary, Belo Polje nr. Pec, burned again and desecrated
17. Church of St. John the Baptist (Pecka banja)

Urosevac
18. Cathedral of St. Uros the Emperor, Urosevac
19…………..
20………......
(According to the Athens media at least two more Orthodox churches which were under the protection of the Greek KFOR have been left unprotected. Initial information say that these two locations have been destroyed)

A CONVERSATION OF THE HOLY SYNOD
WITH THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION DISASTER MINISTRY

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle received today, together with the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops, Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, and Bishops: Lavrentije of Shabac-Valjevo and Irinej of Nish, Mr. Sergei Shoygu, Disaster Minister of the Russian Federal Government.

Mr. Shoygu familiarized His Holiness and the members of the Holy Synod that he arrived in Serbian by directive of Russian President, Mr. Putin, and with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexei of Moscow and All Russia. The Russian Federation strongly condemns the recent Albanian terrorist attacks against the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and their shrines.
Minster Shoygu informed the members of the Holy Synod that he has delivered a substantial commodity of humanitarian aid to the suffering Kosovo Serbs.

His Holiness Patriarch Pavle thanked the Minister for the support and assistance of the Russian people, their Church and State, given not only to the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, but also to the others who have suffered during the last decade of the past century.

A CONVERSATION OF THE HOLY SYNOD
WITH RODERICK MOORE USA CHARGES D AFFAIRS IN BELGRADE

The Holy Synod of Bishops, headed by His Holiness Patriarch Pavle, received today Roderick Moore, Charges d Affairs of the Embassy of the United States of America in Belgrade, and Lou Crishock, Political Advisor at the Embassy.

The representatives of the United States of America desired to personally relate to His Holiness Patriarch Pavle and the Holy Synod of Bishops their condolences for the newest attacks against the Serbs and the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo and Metohija. They expressed the willingness of the American Government to continue their endeavors to wards halting the violence against the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. In like manner, the representatives of the USA, in addition to humanitarian aid given to those who suffered in the past few days in the southern Serbian province, expressed the desire and preparedness of the United States of America to assist in the reconstruction of the destroyed Orthodox shrines in Kosovo and Metohija.

His Holiness Patriarch Pavle and the members of the Holy Synod on this occasion asked of Messer. Moore and Crishock to convey to the American soldiers in the KFOR contingent the gratitude of the Serbian Orthodox Church for their organization in defense of Serbian lives, shrines and homes in Kosovo and Metohija.

This was the first official courtesy visitation of the newly appointed American Charges d Affairs, Mr. Moore, to His Holiness the Patriarch.